We’ve made it to our final week of byes, and that means we’re in the final stretch of the fantasy regular season. That also means we’re in crunch time for teams on the fringes of the playoffs and these matchups matter more now than ever. Fortunately, we have plenty of favorable matchups that can lead you to victory this week. Without further ado, we start with former first-round pick DeVante Parker.
Favorable Matchups
DeVante Parker vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
We’ve been waiting for DeVante Parker’s fantasy breakout for a few weeks now, and there’s no better chance than this week. With Vernon Hargreaves out, Parker will face almost no resistance from Tampa Bay’s horrendous secondary. He’s still getting plenty of targets for the Dolphins, with 17 in the two weeks since his return from injury. Parker is a fantastic red zone target who is due for some touchdowns. He should see around eight or nine targets again this week, with at least one of them coming near the goal line. Parker is a high-end WR2 this week.
Dez Bryant at Philadelphia Eagles
These next two matchups come in what should be a heated matchup between division rivals. First up, Dez Bryant against a surprisingly average Philadelphia secondary. Not only that, but Ronald Darby should return this week. Fortunately for Bryant, Darby is unlikely to shadow him. That means more Jalen Mills for Bryant, and more targets because of it. With no Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys are going to be forced to throw the ball even more. Bryant is poised for a big game and should be in all lineups as a WR1, and a good choice for DFS.
Nelson Agholor vs. Dallas Cowboys
The next matchup from this weekend’s slate comes to us as more of an under the radar pick. Alshon Jeffery finds himself on the injury report with a questionable designation. That could be good news for Nelson Agholor. Agholor will get to take on an atrocious Dallas secondary as, potentially, the team’s top wide receiver. Agholor usually receives only four or five targets each week, but that number could double if Jeffery misses the game. Even if he doesn’t, Agholor is a nice high-upside pick as a deep threat who could find the end zone. He’s a WR2 if Jeffery is out, and a flex option if Jeffery plays.
Marqise Lee at Cleveland Browns
In the last two weeks, Marqise Lee has caught the eye of Blake Bortles, netting 23 targets. Lee should continue to see that high volume with Allen Hurns likely on the bench this week due to injury. More important than the volume is the matchup for Lee. Lee will get to face a horrific secondary in the Cleveland Browns. The only fear here is that the Jaguars get up too much early and they don’t pass much. Fortunately, even if that happens, Lee is likely to be a major factor in the Jaguars taking an early lead. He’s a low-end WR2 this week and could have more upside than that if all goes well.
Unfavorable Matchups
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Arizona Cardinals
As a football fan, this matchup is going to be incredibly fun to watch. As an owner of DeAndre Hopkins in fantasy leagues, I hate it. Hopkins will draw Patrick Peterson’s shadow all game long, and Peterson will make it tough for Hopkins to have a big day. Tom Savage loves throwing to Hopkins, and probably will still do that, but the likelihood of Hopkins hauling those passes in drops dramatically with Peterson on him. You still have to start Hopkins in season-long leagues, and just hope for some touchdowns. In DFS, he’s not even a contrarian option for me.
Robert Woods at Minnesota Vikings
I don’t know if you know this, but Xavier Rhodes is really good at football. Rhodes has been the anchor of a dominant Vikings secondary, thanks to his brilliant cover skills. It remains to be seen if Rhodes will shadow Robert Woods, but I expect him to. Woods has been the Rams’ best receiver, and Rhodes has the ability to completely shut him down. That’s exactly what I expect him to do this weekend. I’m not starting Woods in any sort of league, and he’s entirely touchdown dependent this week. Start him at your own risk.
Josh Doctson at New Orleans Saints
With Terrelle Pryor and Jordan Reed out, you’d think Josh Doctson would be in line for a big breakout week for Washington. However, the former first-round pick will be facing an incredibly difficult matchup. Doctson should draw a lot of Marshon Lattimore this week, who has been a nightmare for opposing receivers. Doctson is due for a breakout game at some point, but it won’t be this week. This game will, surprisingly, be relatively low-scoring, with Jamison Crowder and Vernon Davis being the focal points for Washington’s offense. That means fewer targets for Doctson, who will have a very difficult matchup. Yeah, I just don’t see it this week.
Sleeper of the Week
Sammy Watkins at Minnesota Vikings
I never expected to see Sammy Watkins as a sleeper, but here we are. Watkins has been entirely big-play dependent, but that could change this week. As I said in the unfavorable matchups section, Robert Woods will be drawing Xavier Rhodes this week. His targets should drop because of that, and Watkins could see some of those targets. Watkins has proven that he can do a lot of damage, even on a low number of targets. He could have a big breakout performance for the Rams if he sees eight or nine targets. Of course, there is the chance that Watkins completely vanishes, as he has a tendency of doing so. Regardless, he’s a nice option as a cheap, contrarian flex in DFS this week.